Grave
by Three Cheers For Treason
Summary: Brother-" "Don't call me that. I don't deserve that title." One-Shot.


Wow, angst fic! I really need to stop beating around the bush.

So this just…happened. Really. I guess Right now, Ed and Al are human, back in Amestris, After the events of the movie, with…well, let's not ruin the show, shall we? *grin*

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal.

THIS IS IMPORTANT!!! - I STRONGLY suggest reading this while listening to a Thomas Newman song. For realsies, it's so much better when you're reading it with 'Road to Perdition' or 'Any other name' in the background. So youtube away!

EDIT: For numbers. Eheheh. And repeating words!

* * *

"I…I couldn't save her."

That's what I found myself saying to Al in front of the grave.

The grass rippled like the sea, and the sky stretched out into the far reaches of the atmosphere with a blue that could stifle and distract your eyes for a thousand moments. The creeping feeling of déjà-vu found its way up into my head, and I closed my eyes as I washed in the sensation that brimmed its way up over me, and suddenly I was swimming in everything. 'In over my head,' I thought to myself, and smiled a little. 'I guess I never knew about that one before now.'

The wind danced around us, two lonely figures in the field. Al shifted his weight, holding his coat in his hands in front of him, staying silent because there were times when he knew what to say, and times where he knew to say nothing at all.

"Brother," he said quietly. I didn't open my eyes. He sounded tired, and I think that my smile had shaken him to the core, because he never called me that anymore. It was always Ed, never Brother. I knew, because even after that day, that's what he would wake up screaming, the nightmares of me, drifting away on the machine in the sky. It wasn't a safe word to use. It just let the nightmares creep up his spine.

And that's what this was, wasn't it.

The silence came with a calm that made us both shiver.

"Brother,"

"Don't call me that." I said, not turning to face him, staring at the grave. "Just…don't say that to me. Please. Don't…don't do that to me." I could feel Al's astonished stare on my back.

My eyes stayed staring forwards. There was another silence that fell on us like a fog, and I took a deep breath.

"Al…Al, I haven't deserved that title. There's nothing-"

"Brother-"

"No!" I said angrily, standing up to face him. "Just don't-!" I backed down, and looked up at the sky.

"You deserved so much more than this life, Al. There's so little I have to offer you at this point in time, because I've already taken away so much from you, so much time that…we'll never get back. After mom died…there's not an ounce of me that doesn't feel sorry every day. But that doesn't count for anything. I'm…there's nothing I can do to possibly repay you, Alphonse."

"Brother- Edward- You've always been with-"

"With you?!" I asked angrily. "By what?! Making our mother into a monster?! Losing you repeatedly? Killing our best friend-" I shook my hand at the grave, and we both froze.

I wavered for a moment.

"Brother," Al said, softer this time. "Brother, you're my whole family. You're…all I have left. All _we_ have left. You're my Brother. My best friend."

I stared at the grave, horrified. "I loved her Al," I whispered. "I loved her." I felt his hand on my shoulder, and he turned my around. Staring at me with fierce eyes, he looked at me levely, and said evenly and determined, "Brother. You did not kill Winry." I stared at him, and the tears started blurring my vision. He tilted his head, and smiled sadly. Sighing, he said,

"If we don't start walking back now, we won't make it home before dark."

I shifted my eyes over to the grave behind me, and then back at Al. He waited.

"I'll be there soon."

Al's face fell, and he looked down at the ground, his hand dropping to his side limply. He nodded, and turned back in the direction of the house, the red coat billowing out behind him in his arms. I watched him go until the horizon took him away. Falling back down into the grass, I tilted my head over to the gravestone, and closed my eyes.

"Winry," I whispered, letting the tears overflow. The wind hissed in my ears.

The stone said nothing.

* * *

I know I talk like I don't care about reviews, but OMIGOD I LOVE GETTING THEM. You get a big, shiny,… ED. When you review. (…..)

….yeah. R&R. BECAUSE I LOVE MY DARLING READERS~


End file.
